


Lipstick Marks and Scratched Paint

by GeminiWishes



Category: Bumblebee - Fandom, Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Humor, Lipstick & Lip Gloss, Nail Polish, Oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:53:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26359030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeminiWishes/pseuds/GeminiWishes
Summary: Ironhide can't help but notice B-127's new look.
Relationships: Bumblebee/Charlie Watson
Comments: 3
Kudos: 126





	Lipstick Marks and Scratched Paint

**Author's Note:**

  * For [YoukaiYume](https://archiveofourown.org/users/YoukaiYume/gifts).



> Inspired by this Charbee art done by the Charbee queen 👸 - https://twitter.com/YoukaiYume_Art/status/1122343459996626944?s=19

Ironhide couldn't stop staring. He knew that he shouldn't. Someone would eventually notice. But he just couldn't help it.

B-127 lifted another fallen tree and began carrying it over to the growing pile at the edge of camp. With his back turned, Ironhide could stare more openly at the scout.

All over B-127's face and chassis were scratches. 

At first, Ironhide didn't really even notice, but then he'd gotten a closer look. All of the scratches were magenta pink and lime green. The pink was too dark to have been a paint transfer from Arcee, and Ironhide didn't see any yellow scratches on her chassis. And no one on the team was lime green.

But what was more were the… smudges.

Dark peach-colored smudges peppered alongside the scratches. Ironhide had counted at least three on B-127's chassis and had spotted one on the juncture of his neck. But then there was one off to the side of his mouth plating. That particular smudge was a bit messier than the others, as if B-127 had tried to wipe it off and had given up. They were small and funny-shaped, and Ironhide couldn't figure out what in the world could have possibly made those marks.

B-127 certainly didn't seem to mind the strange markings. Or maybe he didn't even realize they were there. Ironhide wasn't sure which.

B-127 finished setting the tree and down and turned back around. Ironhide quickly turned away, staring at a random boulder sitting in the small-but-growing clearing they had made for the Autobot base. 

Wheeljack stepped into Ironhide's line of vision then. "You alright?" He asked. "You've been standing around like you're lost or something."

"Uh, yeah," Ironhide hurriedly assured him, "Yeah, I'm fine. All good here, Jackie." 

"You sure?" He could hear the smile on Wheeljack's face, despite it being hidden behind his mouthguard. Ironhide shook off his irritation as he laid out another sheet of tin. 

"Don't you have samples to test?" 

"They're spinning for now, so I'm free to help out. So," Ironhide grimaced as the scientist slung an arm around his shoulders, "you wanna share why you keep staring at B-127?" 

Ironhide's optics widened and he smacked Wheeljack square in the chassis. "Say it a little louder, why don't you? I don't think the Cons heard you."

Wheeljack laughed and patted Ironhide's shoulder good-heartedly. "Ah, come off it. You're not subtle, mech. If Jazz saw you, he'd be ashamed. You can't spy for slag. I'm surprised B-127 hasn't noticed." Ironhide only glared at Wheeljack, who's optics lit up with eagerness. "So, what's up?"

Ironhide debated telling Wheeljack to frag off, but just then, B-127 came back over to grab another tree. He buzzed in greeting and Ironhide stiffened. 

"Heya," Wheeljack said the scout. "Don't worry about me. I just wanted to catch up with our buddy Ironhide here." B-127 chirped in acknowledgement before wrapping his servos around another tree and turning to carry it over.

As soon as he was far enough away, Wheeljack said quietly, "Sheesh. Whaddya think made those, huh?" Ironhide didn't hide his relief that he wasn't alone in finding the markings odd.

"I uh, I'm kinda trying to figure that out," he admitted, much to Wheeljack's delight. The mech always did enjoy a good guessing game. "I've already ruled out Arcee. The pink's too dark."

"Hm," hummed Wheeljack, studying B-127. "I don't think I've ever seen scratches like those." He was quiet then, and Ironhide wondered if Wheeljack was trying to decipher this newest puzzle in his processor. After a minute, he straightened up and removed his arm. "I'm gonna ask him."

"What?" Ironhide's optics widened. "No!"

"Why not?"

"I-I don't know! But you can't just ask him!"

"Well, how else are we gonna find out what happened?"

Ironhide was saved from having to answer as the sound of a familiar engine began rumbling in the distance. Optimus pulled into the clearing, a trailer hitched to his rear. The door to his alt-mode was pushed open before Charlie Watson slid out.

"We come bearing gifts!" She exclaimed cheerfully as Optimus shifted back into root mode. B-127 chirped happily at the human's arrival, and forewent securing the tree he was carrying in favor of greeting her.

Optimus approached, and Ironhide's focus shifted to his commander. "I trust that all is well?" He asked.

"Yes, sir," Ironhide responded, standing at attention. "Arcee and Jazz went on patrol around half a jorn ago, and B-127 and I have been organizing what we can."

Optimus nodded with approval before looking to Wheeljack. "Have you received any results yet from the samples you've taken, Wheeljack?"

"Not yet, but Ratchet said he'd keep an optic on them until they're done processing." Wheeljack shifted in place. "I'm not too optimistic though, if I'm being honest, sir." He crossed his arms. "Nothing that I've seen so far since we've landed here has pointed to there being any energon in this planet's biology." 

"Even so, I thank you for running these tests. If the energon readings we detected did not in fact come from Earth's flora and fauna, then we will begin searching for deposits."

"Yes, sir."

Ironhide hadn't really kept his attention on Wheeljack and Prime's conversation. Instead, he glanced behind his commander to see B-127 helping Charlie move drums of oil from the trailer to a nearby container, where they'd be sorted and rationed later.

B-127 set down the last one before speaking to Charlie in that weird way he did with his radio. Charlie responded with a smile as she looked up at the scout. B-127 leaned down and picked her up then, and Charlie wrapped her arms around his neck.

Ironhide immediately zeroed in on her hands. The tips of her fingers - nails, if he was remembering what Ratchet said - were coated in what looked like paint.

Magenta pink and lime green paint. The colors alternated, and as one of her hands passed over a series of scratches, Ironhide noticed how her fingers lined up almost perfectly with them. Charlie was laughing at something B-127 had said, and Ironhide took note then of the dark peach color of her lips.

Oh.

_ Oh. _

**_Oh_ ** .

Ironhide's plating tensed and he had to yank his EM field in to keep from broadcasting his shock. Optimus and Wheeljack must have noticed, because they'd paused mid-conversation to look at him. 

"I uh," Ironhide stammered, suddenly flustered and unsure what to say. "I'm uh, I'm gonna go check on Arcee and Jazz." Wheeljack was smirking at him, and Ironhide knew he'd have to avoid him for the rest of the day. Optimus, on the other hand, looked concerned.

"Is something troubling you, Ironhide?"

Ironhide was practically floundering in his attempts to assure Prime that no, he didn't think that Arcee and Jazz were in any danger and that yes, he felt fine.

When he finally managed to walk away, Wheeljack pinged him on his personal comm, but Ironhide ignored it as he quickly left the clearing and transformed.

As he drove away, he reminded himself to let B-127 know that he should really buff himself later.


End file.
